Tricot 101

Here we have compiled the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Knitting Shawl Game for the Impromptu Shawl pattern: the shawl pattern that knits with playing cards! Discover below the instructions to knit the stitch corresponding to card no.2 in the form of a video... Enjoy! HOW TO KNIT POINT NO.2 - ROW 3 HOT TO KNIT THE POINT NO.2 - ROW 4 A big thank you to Joanne! If you have any questions about any of our knitting patterns, you can always contact us using our CONTACT FORM and select the subject "Knitting patterns". Joanne and our other knitting teachers will be happy to answer your questions!

It's no secret that I love pockets. So with a new cardigan design in the works, it's a not an option whether it'll have pockets or not. It WILL have pockets! In my last blog on pockets I did the Side Seam Pocket. This time I'm going to show you a very easy way to add a Patch Pocket. And don't worry, if you have your sweater knit already and want to add pockets, this technique allows you to do just that! When your cardigan body is complete you will need to size it up to see where you want your pockets to be placed. The best way to do this is to get thread of contrasting color and map it out.  Using my cardigan as an example, I placed the thread 14 rows up from the hem and 8 rows in from the edge over 24 stitches. When choosing the number of stitches that you want, keep in mind what type of edge you want. I used a 2x2 ribbed edge and I also wanted an extra stitch on either end for my selvedge stitch and for it to begin and end the same. Over 24 stitches my pattern was K3, (P2, K2) repeat to last stitch and K1 on the right side and P3, (K2, P2) repeat to last stitch and P1 on the wrong side. Also, I like the size of the pocket! Now that you have your pocket mapped out and it's exactly where you want it, it's time to start picking up stitches. If you put you right hand needle in between 2 stitches you will see a horizontal bar as shown in the picture above. This is where you pick up stitches. The contrasting thread will keep you on the straight and narrow and guide you across to ensure a straight pocket. Place your needle under the bar, wrap your yarn around and pull through the same as you would pick up a stitch anywhere else in your knitting. The picture above shows a couple of stitches picked up. Even with the contrasting thread in place, it can still be easy to grab the wrong horizontal bar so just take your time working your way across. After all the stitches have been picked up, you will be working back and forth to create a flap. My pocket will be in Stockinette with a 2x2 ribbed edge. So after all stitches are picked up I turn and purl across the row. After knitting in Stockinette stitch for the desired length, ending on a purl side, start the ribbing of your choice. As you can see in the picture above I chose to add a button hole. Half way across the row I made a yarn over and purled or knitted 2 together (all depending on where you are in your pattern). Next, attach the sides of the pocket to the sweater using the Mattress stitch. Place contrasting thread before starting to ensure that you are seaming up a straight line if you think you may need it. As you can see in the picture above, besides the bottom edge of the pocket, the sides of the pocket blends seamlessly into the sweater. Pockets and TWEED!!! Two of my favorite ingredients for cozy sweater! I'm using Biscotte's Hagrid yarn in Kalamata and it is AH-MAZING!! And that's how you place a Patch Pocket after your sweater is finished! I think it's a very cool technique! It doesn't use much yarn and usually after a project is finished there's some yarn left so you can add a pocket to any sweater now! Also, you can make the pockets more decorative with cables or different stitch patterns as well. Oh the possibilities!! Have you tried this technique of adding Patch Pockets to a sweater?

In our yarn store, we often meet beginner knitters who ask us if we have a pattern to knit a scarf or an infinity cowl. There is no need to use a pattern to show you how to knit a scarf.  Just follow these following tips: 1- Pick a stitch pattern First of all, you have to choose a stitch pattern.  You can find a lot of them on the web, for example on the website KnittingStitchPattern.com which contains a great directory of popular knitting stitches. If you are knitting your first scarf, I suggest you to use the garter stitch pattern. The Garter Stitch is one that allows new knitters to practice their hand and tension in order to obtain a beautiful knit made of regular stitches.   You don't know how to knit garter stitch?  It's easy: when you work in back and forth rows, you have to knit every stitches of every rows in the same way until the end. You can watch this video that we have prepared for you here, showing you every steps you need from the beginning to the end. Avoid side-rolling stitches such as stockinette stitch. Stockinette is achieved by knitting all the stitches on the right side of the work and purl all the stitches on the wrong side of the work.Even if you block your knitting or knit a few stitches in garter stitch on each side of the rows, nothing can be done: the stockinette stitch rolls and rolls and rolls...! If you really want to incorporate stockinette stitch into your scarf, you can do so by alternating with a garter stitch. You can obtain a very original result as shown in the picture here. Alternating stockinette stitch and garter stitch is also a very good exercise to learn how to knit and purl stitches. The result is charming: beauty is often found in simplicity ;)   2- Choose the right yarn This is the best and easiest part of knitting a scarf without a pattern: you can use any yarn you want without worrying about the yarn weight and the pattern.  To learn how to knit with joy, nothing better than to go with your favorite!  To this, we add two "warnings": Be aware that the finer the wool and the smaller the needle size, the longer the scarf will take to knit.  This is not a problem per se, but it is an aspect that should not be overlooked when learning to knit.  Some beginner knitters might get discouraged along the way and get bored of knitting the same project.  Psssst: If you ever find yourself in this position, bind-off your stitches and join the beginning and end of the scarf with a thin seam to transform your knitting into a neck warmer or an infinity collar!  You'll become a knitting star without anyone ever knowing you shortened your scarf! If you're one of those people who puts everything in the washer without reading the washing instructions, make sure you select a yarn that has been treated to be machine washable. Superwash means that the yarn has been chemically treated to prevent felting so that you can machine wash your clothes. In all cases, it is best to dry flat.   3- Calculate the number of stitches needed Once you have selected your stitch pattern, your yarn and you know how to knit your scarf, you need to determine the number of stitches to knit.   In the store, we are often asked what is the ideal width to knit a scarf.  There are as many answers to this question as there are people to wear them!  It's a matter of taste.  Here's a tip: choose a scarf you like in your wardrobe and measure the width.   We will use the information below to calculate the number of stitches to cast-on: A = Desired width, for example: 15 cm B = Suggested gauge on the yarn lable, for example: 18 stitches = 10 cm. Now we are going to use a mathematical formula: First step : multiply the number of stitches of the sample by the desired width: 18x15=270 Second step : divide the result obtained by the width of the sample: 270÷10=27 So you need 27 stitches to knit a 15 cm scarf!  Obviously, this result is approximate since it can vary depending on your tension (if you knit tight or loose) and the stitch pattern you chose (ribbing or cables tend to make the knitting narrower) but it's still a good way to start.  If you want to learn more about stitch patterns while knitting your scarf, you can get our free Underage wizard scarf pattern :) This knitting pattern is perfect for beginners.  You start by working an easy stitch pattern and then new stitches are added as you progress.  You will learn how to knit garter stitch, vertical ribbing, horizontal ribbing, an openwork pattern, cables, moss stitch, honeycomb stitch and how to knit stranded colorwork. Now that you know how to knit a scarf, grab to your needles and enjoy your knitting!  

Knitting charts… They intimidate several knitters! They may seem scary when you look at the sum of these little squares filled with various mystical symbols aligned together... Do not panic : The thing is to get organized ! First, here are the basic rules for reading knitting charts. The knitting charts read the same as you knit: if you knit back and forth you will have to read your rows (odd) from right to left and your rows (even) from left to right. If you knit in the round, you must read your charts from right to left at all times. For stitch patterns charts (and not colorwork charts), squares identified in black (as in the illustration below) or missing squares are missing stitches (either because they were decreased earlier or because they will be increased later.) You must ignore these stitches (they do not exist) and continue with the next square on the chart. Check to see if all the rows are shown on your chart : Some charts show only the even rows and / or odd will tell you to knit the row back and / or even as the stitches appear. This is an important detail !! Easy tips to follow knitting charts Personally I really like working with stitch markers. In the example of the knitting chart shown above, this is a pattern that repeats all around the neck. I will prepare my work by placing a marker between each repetition in the chart. (shown in the illustration below by the red lines.) This way it will be easier for me to read and execute the chart on my row as well as to identify a possible error in my kntting. I do not need to finish the full round before I realize it and undo the complete round to find the error... Secondly, I almost always work my charts with a "Post-it". So I take it off the chart and put it on the next row as the knit moves on. The post-it is also very convenient to write your notes: Legend points illustrated on the chart, number of completed rows, motivational quotes, etc!   In the case of wider charts, you will need a Pattern Holder with a magnetic ruler as this one: Knitter's Pride Pattern Holder. I like to cut the chart into smaller sections for easier reading. Take the following chart for example: Reading each row of 60 stitches can be tedious and we will most likely need to recount our stitches along the way. I suggest you cut out your chart as well: use a red pencil to dissect different sections of your chart and place markers in the same places on your knitting (see illustration below). For stitch pattern charts (and not colorwork charts) be careful not to dissect your chart in the middle of a cable or decrease / increase or you will have to move your marker constantly. Sometimes, simply adding a pencil line without using markers will make reading the chart easier. For example, draw a red line in the middle of the chart for each multiple of 5 stitches. In order to avoid the repetitive comings and goings of your eyes between your chart and your knitting, try to mentally compose yourself a little nursery rhyme. Take the chart below for example: Suppose you have to repeat this pattern 10 times in a row around your work, here is the series you need to memorize for the bottom chart: First row on the bottom of the chart (row 33) : 2-1-5-1-3 … 2-1-5-1-3 … 2-1-5-1-3 … Next row (row 34) : 1-1-1-1-3-1-1-1-2 ... 1-1-1-1-3-1-1-1-2 ... If the series is longer, add to the nursery rhyme this melodious tune eg ("Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"), it will be even easier to remember! The idea is to find tips that help you and make it easier for you to read your charts. Let's try to put these new tricks into practice with few of our knitting patterns: Hat and mittens Nova Scotia Sheeps Jigs and Reels pullover Christmas Socks Happy knitting to all !!